


Moments with Mac

by Emachinescat



Series: The Tenants of Loft 4D [1]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016), New Girl
Genre: Crossover, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Loft Antics, Pre-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:08:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25757131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emachinescat/pseuds/Emachinescat
Summary: The first installment of my Tenants of Loft 4D series.  Coach receives a call from Jack Dalton, an old friend of his dad’s, with an odd request.  Can Jack’s army buddy crash in the loft for a few weeks?  Coach can’t refuse - mostly because he’s terrified of Jack.  A series of moments where fresh-out-of-the-army Angus MacGyver crashes in the loft and learns to live with - maybe even like - Coach, Nick, and Schmidt.
Series: The Tenants of Loft 4D [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1868557
Comments: 6
Kudos: 27





	1. The Favor

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome, readers, old and new, to my newest experiment, a crossover series I'm calling The Tenants of Loft 4D. See the end of chapter note to learn more about what this will entail!
> 
> Note on timelines: I'm going to try my best to be consistent with the timelines in the shows, but don't squint too hard; I might have to tweak things a little bit so that the two fandoms can mash up. For New Girl, this takes place a few months before the show starts, so it's just Coach, Nick, and Schmidt in the loft. For MacGyver, it also takes place before the show starts, right after Jack and Mac finish their tour in Afghanistan, and right before they start working at the DXS in L.A.
> 
> Without further ado, please enjoy - and also, please review and let me know what you think! :)

When Coach answered his phone on a stormy Monday evening, he was expecting to have to chew out a telemarketer (he didn't recognize the number). Instead, he heard a southern drawl that he barely recognized, as it had been years since he'd last heard it.

"Ernie Tagliaboo," said the voice. "It's been a while."

Coach pulled the phone away from his ear, made a face at it as he tried to remember where he'd heard that voice before. And then it hit him.

"...Jack?"

"Hey, kiddo." Coach could hear the gentle smile in the older man's voice. After he and his family had left Texas years ago, he hadn't expected to see or hear from his dad's old friend again, even though he knew they kept in touch. Such was the life of an army brat. "How're ya doin'?"

Instead of answering Jack's question, Coach informed, "I don't go by Ernie anymore. It's Coach."

Jack chuckled. "Not a fan of your first name, huh? I know someone else just like you." He paused, then his voice turned serious. "He's actually why I'm calling you."

Coach racked his brain for why on earth his dad's old friend would be calling him about some random person Coach didn't even know.

Jack continued, so thankfully Coach didn't have to come up with something to say. "I was talking to your old man just the other day, and he mentioned you're in L.A."

Quite uncomfortable at this point, Coach just said, "Yep." He popped the "p" at the end.

"So listen, man, I normally wouldn't ask this, but I'm kinda in a tight spot. I just finished a tour in Afghanistan and I'm heading back to L.A. with a buddy of mine I met over there - he lives in L.A. too - and I've been approached with a job offer for us, but the interview process is intense, and I'll be stuck at the, uh, office for a few weeks."

Coach made a face. "A two-week interview?"

"Uh, yeah. Sort of. It's a job at a think tank, so I think they want to keep things confiden-"

Coach couldn't help it. He laughed. Loudly.

"Ha, ha," said Jack flatly. "Anyway, my army buddy, he's had a rough tour. I mean, we both have. And his roommate chose the exact worst time to be out of town for some kind of film conference or whatever. I really don't want to leave the kid alone for two weeks after just getting back home. I found out you were in the area, and I did background checks on you and your roommates-"

"You background checked us?"

"I'm thorough," was all Coach got in explanation. "Anyway, even though one of them has the lowest credit score I've ever seen and the other one is married to his job, they seem like good enough people. So what do you say?"

Coach blinked. "To what?"

"Letting my buddy crash with you until I get done tying up loose ends with this job, or his roommate comes back. Whichever comes first."

Coach's first instinct was to say no. Coach didn't do things for people out of the kindness of his heart, certainly not things that might put him out in any way. And the only house guests he and the guys entertained were the ones who just stayed the one night. Not random strangers who just got out of the army. Certainly not dudes.

But then he remembered that Jack was in the army. His dad had actually said he'd been a Delta. Those guys were huge, and terrifying. And Jack probably knew seventeen, maybe even eighteen ways to kill him.

Voice two octaves higher than normal, Coach agreed, "Sure, can't wait." 


	2. The Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moment 2: Upon meeting Mac, awkwardness ensues as Nick Miller once again illustrates the fact that he has absolutely no control over his own mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for those who gave kudos, and to CicciTheDreamer for commenting - I'm so glad you're enjoying this so far! Since this story is going to be made up of a bunch of separate moments - some longer and more fleshed out than others - I'm planning on changing the characters and genres for each new chapter, along with changing the story description to reflect each new moment. I'll also give you a little sneak peek at the end of each chapter as to what the next moment will entail. :) This particular moment is short and silly, but there will be some more serious stuff that comes in later on, as well as some bonding and some loft antics.
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy, and let me know your thoughts!

Three days later found Coach and his two very disgruntled roommates standing awkwardly in the living room across from a skinny, mop-headed blonde kid, whom Jack had introduced as Mac. Jack had only stopped by for a minute, thanked Coach, terrified Nick and Schmidt, and then was gone.

All was quiet for an uncomfortable stretch of time. Then Nick opened his mouth - of course it was Nick - and blurted with a nervous chortle, "You're a really small dude!"

Mac's eyes widened and he cocked his head to the side in confusion, or maybe just bewilderment. Before he could answer, though, Schmidt had grabbed Nick's arm and spun him around for a quick _tête-à-tête_. "Nicho _las_!" he hissed. "You can't just say that to him! It's very rude!"

"But look at him-" Nick argued right back.

"I know, I know," Schmidt acknowledged speedily. "He looks like he just stepped right off the cover of _Tiger Beat_ magazine in the 90s."

Nick giggled. "How do you know about-"

"The point is, you have to be _delicate_. Remember what Coach said? He just got out of the army, he's probably traumatized, and I'm sure he _knows_ that he looks twelve, so his poor confidence must be shattered. We have to be gentle, Nick." He paused briefly. "Do you remember when you saved that cat from the tree last week?"

"Well, I didn't mean to, I was passing by and it just jumped down on my head but -"

"Be gentle like you were with the cat."

"I stepped on its tail. If it helps, I didn't mean to."

"You are missing the point!"

Someone cleared his throat.

Mac stepped forward, his blue eyes guarded, but amused. "You guys are _really_ bad at whispering."

Schmidt stood back, stunned. "It's not our fault you have the hearing of a hawk," he snapped back waspishly.

Nick elbowed him in the side, looked Schmidt deeply in the eyes, and mouthed, _Gentle_.

Coach died a little on the inside. Maybe being killed by a terrifying cowboy soldier would have been better than this.

* * *

**_Next time, "The Coach":_ ** _Mac and Coach have a conversation about their mutual, overprotective friend, Jack, and the army, all while trying their best not to completely succumb to the awkwardness of their situation._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I am absolutely playing on the fact that Mac looked like he was 12 at the beginning of the show, and this is going to actually come in as a plot point for a moment later on, so it's not just for giggles. No shade to Mac or his actor Lucas Till at all, I love how young and innocent he's always looked in the show; it works so well for his character. :) Also, I know Jack was just kind of skirted over this time, but he will make another appearance and we'll actually see him interact with the guys.
> 
> Hopefully you are still enjoying this! Please let me know what you think, and more should be up, hopefully very soon! :)
> 
> ~Emachinescat ^..^


	3. The Coach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the super long wait between updates. The semester started up again, and I'm just now figuring out how to get time to write between grading papers, doing lesson plans, and teaching online. I appreciate the patience! Here's the next part - please enjoy and let me know your thoughts!

"So," said Coach.

"So..." agreed Mac.

It had been decided by the other two that it was going to be Coach's job to "take care of" Mac while he was there. Nick and Schmidt claimed no responsibility whatsoever for showing him to his room, putting themselves into any avoidable awkward conversations, giving him a tour of the loft, or - and NIck was very insistent about this - letting him know where the towels and washcloths lived. "It's just not right," he'd insisted, "a strange man using another man's towels. I want no part in it. It's an abomination." Coach had known there was no use in arguing the point, but he had anyway, and it had gotten him absolutely nowhere.

So now here he was, standing in their extra bedroom with a tiny little white dude he didn't know at all at the request of a scary family friend who he barely knew. At least he could take a little comfort in the fact that Mac seemed just as awkward as Coach himself did.

"Okay so-"

"Look man-"

They both started talking at the exact same time. Mac ducked his head and grinned and motioned for Coach to go first.

"I was just going to apologize for Nick. He can be…"

"Loud?" Mac supplied when Coach hesitated.

"And he has no filter. Obviously."

Mac laughed, and it sounded genuine. Coach found himself thinking that maybe this kid might not be too much of a hassle to have around after all. He seemed pretty easy going, especially for someone who'd just gotten out of the army. But still, there was something in his eyes, a flicker of something he'd seen in his dad's eyes a couple of times as a kid… He pushed that aside as Mac rebutted, "I spend most of my time with Jack, remember? You look up 'loud' and 'no filter' in the dictionary, and you'll find a picture of Jack!"

Sniggering, Coach agreed, "I don't know him that well, but I do think I remember that about him from when he and my dad cooked out every other weekend back in Texas. I think that's what Dad likes about him. He speaks his mind."

"Sometimes _too_ much," Mac agreed. Coach noticed with relief that picking on Jack and Nick had lessened the tension in the room considerably.

"Hey, uh, Coach?" Mac asked, his voice turning serious. "Speaking of Jack, I just wanted to thank you for what you're doing. He had no right to ask you to let me stay with you; he did it without me even knowing about it. I tried to back out when he told me, but he insisted that you all were looking for someone to help pay rent while your normal roommate is in Latvia."

"Yeah, you'd like Winston," said Coach, then made a face and retracted, "Eeeh, maybe not. Not a lot of people _like_ Winston. He's an acquired taste."

"I'm sure he's great."

More awkward silence.

"Well," said Coach. "I should go, 'cuz this is getting awkward as _hell_ and I've got a training session with a hot client." His eyes glazed over momentarily. " _Vanessa._ "

Mac cleared his throat. Coach shook himself out of his reverie before backing slowly toward the door. "On that note, I'ma bounce now…"

Mac watched him go, amusement and uncertainty warring for dominance in his mind. They seemed nice enough… if a bit - a lot - weird, but still. Mac knew that nightmares were no respecter of people or places; they would come wherever he was, and they were usually much worse after moving to a new place. He sure hoped this job Jack had picked up on was worth it, because Mac had the nasty feeling that he'd wear out his welcome (whatever welcome he had, that is) very quickly once the nightmares started up again.

He sighed and started to unpack his things.

"One more thing!" Mac jolted in surprise, spinning around and grabbing the closest thing to his right hand to use as a weapon - an alarm clock. Coach's eyes widened, his hands held up in surrender. "Sorry, sorry, dude. Didn't mean to startle you there." His eyes held a softness that Mac hadn't expected as he regarded the younger man. "You okay?"

Mac felt the embarrassment wash down his body like an icy rain. He felt his face burn and set the alarm clock gently on the side table. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry. I just-"

"Hey, say no more, man," Coach cut in. "Army brat, remember? This ain't my first rodeo." Despite Coach sounding nothing like Jack in the slightest, his words reminded Mac of exactly something his best friend would say and he gave a half smile.

"Thanks." Coach stood in the doorway, and awkward was still the word of the hour.

"Uhh… did you need something?"

"Oh, right. I forgot I was supposed to remind you of the loft rules. Don't touch the fancy shampoo in the shower, the half a pastrami sandwich in the fridge is off-limits, even if it is a week old, make sure you buy your own towels because sharing towels with a stranger is an abomination, apparently."

Mac nodded slowly. "...Noted."

"The first rule is Schmidt's," Coach clarified, fingers tapping nervously on the doorframe. He wasn't good at this hosting stuff, especially when everything was so.. Awkward. "And the last is Nick's. The second is mine."

"Good to know. I'll make sure to follow them."

Coach grinned. "Right. The pastrami sandwich is mine," he clarified once more. "And I'm really looking forward to it when I get home."

Furrowing his brow, Mac assured the taller man, "I promise, I have no intention of eating your week-old pastrami sandwich. Scout's honor."

 _Of course he'd be a boy scout,_ Coach thought. "Thanks, little man!" Coach threw over his shoulder as he turned to leave once more. "Welcome to the Loft!"

Running a hand through his hair, Mac half-grinned and spoke to the empty room. "Thanks." Recalling his roller coaster of an adventure just since breaching the doorway, he added a wry, "I think."

* * *

_**Next Time, "The Businessman":** _ _Schmidt tries to connect with "the youth" in their loft. He is very bad at it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks for joining in for another snippet! This one had more serious notes than the others so far, but don't worry, humor is still the focus of the fic (well, humor and some hurt/comfort later on hehe). Please let me know your thoughts! I plan to update soon!
> 
> ~Emachinescat ^..^

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first ever New Girl fan-fic, though it is more of a series of vignettes than a full story. I absolutely love the idea of the gang throughout the years having what Nick calls "Crashers" stay in the loft for a short time for whatever reason. It gives so much opportunity for crossovers, for me to play with the characters, to challenge myself as a writer, and for me - and my readers - to stretch our imaginations. Some of these pieces may inspire more plot-driven, fuller fics in the future, but for now, I just want to put these characters together and see how it goes. :) I chose the MacGyver reboot for my first crossover, because it's my latest obsession, but also because it takes place right around the same time as New Girl and it's set in L.A. too.
> 
> Also, I've already got 12 parts planned out, one of which is already written, so this should be updated fairly regularly. In the next one, Mac meets our boys. I'm so excited about this little experiment, and I would LOVE to know your thoughts! :)
> 
> ~Emachinescat ^..^


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